Advanced materials for environmental challenges

Following the success of the 3 previous symposia, we now propose a symposium focused on advanced materials for the environmental protection, in terms of wastewater remediation, air cleaning, and ecosafety of the investigated materials, so to encourage the cohesion of the research groups involved in these fields. 

Scope:

The symposium wants to be a response to growing worldwide concerns with environmental issues, especially in the sectors of water and air pollution. Functional materials have a great potential for the environmental protection. Indeed, many researchers worldwide are studying advanced materials and processes for water and air purification, efficiently, green, at low cost and energy consumption. Therefore, the focus of the symposium is advanced materials for water and air treatments: organic, inorganic and hybrid materials, also in the nanometric form. 

1. Nanomaterial growth and assembly techniques, advanced characterizations (physical, chemical, and biological), modeling, and reactor fabrication for mineralization and disinfection of water by advanced oxidation processes (heterogeneous photocatalysis, photo-Fenton reaction), by filtration (through membranes), etc…
2. Nanomaterial growth and assembly techniques, advanced characterization, modeling, and device fabrication for air cleaning by advanced oxidation processes, adsorption, etc…
3. Advanced polymer-based systems (synthesis, characterization, environmental tests) for the removal of contaminants from water and air. The implementation of nanomaterial- and polymer-based technologies are expected to result in their release into the environment. Hence, the symposium wants also to provide a discussion forum about:
4. Expected environmental impacts of the nanotechnologies and polymer technologies applied in both water and air purification, on how to reduce or avoid the risks associated with that impacts and on the design of a more sustainable and less impacting technologies.

All colleagues interested in advanced materials for applications in water and air treatments, and interested in the potential environmental risks associated with the materials are encouraged to participate and submit their contributions.

Hot topics to be covered by the symposium:

• Nanostructured photocatalytic semiconducting oxides (TiO₂, ZnO, Fe₂O₃, CdS, GaP, etc…)
• Advanced oxidation processes
• Photocatalyst modification (by noble metal, C nanotubes, etc..) and doping
• Fenton and photo-Fenton reactions for the degradation of pollutants
• C-based materials: C nanotubes and graphene
• Polymer-based materials for adsorption and photocatalysis
• Hybrid organic/inorganic systems for water and air treatments
• Water mineralization and disinfection
• Air cleaning
• Innovative synthesis and characterization methodologies
• Device fabrication
• New technology trends
• Kinetics and modeling
• Environmental toxicology of materials

Scientific committee:

• Monika Mortimer (Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn, Estonia);
• Maria Cristina Cocca (Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials, CNR, Naples Italy);
• Suresh Pillai (Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ireland);
• Giovanni Filippone (Department of Chemical, Materials and Industrial Production Engineering, University of Naples);
• Pilar Fernandez (School of Engineering, Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom)
• Roberto Fiorenza (Department of Chemistry, University of Catania).

Publication:

The papers will be published in Process Safety and Environmental Protection (Elsevier). https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/process-safety-and-environmental-protection